It’s disappointing when the people you expect to know better turn out to be clueless.
“The producers of the acclaimed historical film Heneral Luna are set to file civil and criminal complaints for copyright infringement against Laguna governor Ramil Fernandez for the alleged unauthorized public screening of the film — along with Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo — last March 1 and 2 at the Cultural Center of Laguna,” reports Edwin P. Sallan on InterAksyon.com.
The report then cited a statement from Heneral Luna producer Artikulo Uno Productions, which read: “No one from the office of Governor Hernandez ever contacted or approached Artikulo Uno to file or request for a permission to hold the screening. The producers even called and warned the office of the Governor and the local tourism office of Laguna prior to the viewing of Heneral Luna. Despite these warnings, however, they still proceeded with the screenings. While free to the public, these screenings were not authorized. And the material they used for Bonifacio is pirated, since there is no official DVD released yet of this film title.”
The statement further stressed that “neither the film nor members of its cast and production team cannot and will not be associated, connected or affiliated with any political party, event or candidate for any elective position.”
The report noted that “Fernandez is the successor of former Laguna governor E.R. Ejercito who was unseated by the Commission on Elections in 2014 for alleged election overspending. Both are contesting the governorship of the province for the coming elections this May.”
Interestingly, Ejercito is best known for playing Emilio Aguinaldo in 2012’s El Presidente. In both Heneral Luna and Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo, Aguinaldo is portrayed as a traitor.
